Second annual New River Paddle-A-Thon raises friends, funds, and awareness to the New River

Last Saturday, July 12, the New River Conservancy (formerly National Committee for the New River) hosted its second annual New River Paddle-A-Thon.

The event was hosted in partnership with the New River State Park, Riverside Canoe and Tube Rental, RiverCamp USA, New River Outfitters, and the REGEAR Store, according to a release from New River Conservancy spokesperson Laura Green. The goal of the Paddle-A-Thon was to encourage New River constituents to not only join the staff and Board of the New River Conservancy on the river for the day but to give paddlers a vehicle to raise awareness and funds for the New River Conservancy and our River cleanup efforts.

This way, paddlers could share what is important to them about the New and the New River Conservancy’s work with their friends and family, Green said.

“I loved the concept of being able to reach out to my family and friends with multiple social networking options and have everyone pitch in a little,” said Courtney Wait, the Water Quality Coordinator with New River Conservancy. “Like most of the work on the river, if everyone does a little, like cleanup their yard or stretch of stream or river, significant work is accomplished.”